What's clever about these two fics, and it's why I'm glad you posted the Nate one first, is that it would be easy, in isolation to side strongly with either Rachel or Nate. But you make us feel symnpathy - more, empathy - for each one of them, for different reasons. Their "plight" also binds them, in a strange way, when on the surface it should simply drive them apart. That's intelligent writing. Brava.